Life Between The Lines
by pink-seafoam-and-sparkles
Summary: Drabbles of various characters, and their lives between the scenes Michael Grant (who owns Gone; not me!) shows us. Each one is inspired by and titled after a song.
1. Ours

Ours

Fear-ish

The first time Roger encounters homophobia, he isn't even with Edilio; he's with Justin. Justin, after coming home to their joint houseboat ecstatically bouncing and talking about some wall he wants Roger to paint on, takes Roger by the hand and practically drags him to the place he's talking about. The two of them are walking through Edilio's makeshift town on Lake Tramonto (Roger is astounded that he's the only one who calls it Edilio's and not Sam's) when they pass by Lisa Montgomery, one of the few remains of the despicable Human Crew. Lisa looks up at Roger, who has a good five inches on her, and smiles a sickly faux-sweet smile; a smile Roger knows means trouble. Roger pulls Justin closer to him, trying to skirt around her without any trouble. Although Roger and Edilio have been trying to keep their relationship on a secret, need-to-know basis, he knows very well of the rumors floating around, and it is obvious from Lisa's expression that she has heard, and somehow verified, said rumors.

"Aw, isn't that sweet", Roger hears a nasal, honeyed voice call from his left, "You're holding his hand! But, of course, that isn't the first male hand you've held, is it?" Lisa's voice turns grating and strident as she calls him a couple of vulgar words that cause unwelcome tears to come to Roger's eyes, but thankfully don't fall, and Justin, not understanding the words, but comprehending her tone, to turn around and call Lisa a "meanie-head-poopy-face".

"Come on, Justin" Roger instructs the younger boy, "Let's go." The two change destinations, heading to Edilio's houseboat, the whole way Justin asking Roger to explain Lisa's lecture, and Roger being unable to answer him.

After a few minutes, they arrive to find Edilio and Dekka on the deck of the White Houseboat, discussing some kind of strategy. Edilio can tell something's wrong with just one glance.

"Babe," he says as he walks up to embrace Roger, patting his back and murmuring words of comfort as the pent up tears start to fall. Dekka and Justin look over with a mix of fascination and worry, then look at each other, and ask their questions at the same time. As Dekka inquires what happened she hears Justin ask her the definitions of some very impolite words she herself has been called sporadically for about five years, and she understands Roger's distress.

"Well, Justin, as you've probably figured out, those words aren't very nice. You see, many people are jealous of people who are in love, especially if it's not the type of love they are used to, like Roger and Edilio's love. A lot of times, these people who are jealous, are mean to the people whose love shines, and call them words like that."

Justin nods, understanding Dekka's explanation, as Roger's tears run out, and he picks his head up from Edilio's chest. Edilio takes Roger's face in his hands.

"Don't you worry your pretty, little mind," Edilio tells him, "People throw rocks at things that shine, but this love is ours."

And that is exactly the quote that Roger decides to paint on the wall Justin had been trying to show him earlier.


	2. Tango: Maureen

Tango: Maureen

In between Plague and Fear

Jack can feel Dekka's glare as he and Brianna walk to their meeting with Sam, Edilio, and Dekka at the White Houseboat. Well, he concedes, Jack is walking, and Brianna is kind of flitting in circles around him as he moves, babbling on about her speed or something. Jack's definitely not paying attention to Brianna's never-ending monologue, and he's not even sure Brianna's listening to herself either.

Luckily for Jack's now queasy stomach- Brianna's spinning has been making him very dizzy- she stops moving once Dekka falls into their line of sight. Brianna's hazel eyes become very wide, her face paler than usual, and Jack's sure that it's because she has made herself almost as dizzy and lightheaded as she's made him. Brianna murmurs something about Edilio and guns and runs inside.

"What's wrong?" Jack asks Dekka, walking up to her in as straight a line as he can manage.

She looks down on him, eyes cold, lips pursed, before responding with a curt, "Nothing."

"Good," Jack says, smiling up at her, "I don't know why, but it seemed like you were mad at me or something."

"Would I be mad at you? No, Jack, you've been such a good boy this whole time," Dekka replies with a smile that reminds Jack subconsciously of the ones Diana would give him or Drake back at Coates.

Jack, unsure of how to respond, just says "Thanks?", and suggests the two of them walk inside to commence their meeting. Dekka agrees and they start their stroll, when Jack finds himself about to hit the ground, and then a suddenly couple feet in the air. While Jack is grateful to Dekka for saving him from his fall, she certainly did not help his nausea and lightheadedness. Jack groans and closes his eyes, hoping to make himself feel better.

"What happened to you?" Dekka inquires, curious at Jack's unexpected embrace with the ground.

Jack just shakes his head and says, "Brianna."

"Ahhh", is Dekka's knowing reply, as she helps Jack to his feet and onto solid ground again. "I've been there; it sucks."

"She needs to learn that what she does affects other people. Such as orbiting me as I walk at a speed of approximately 63 miles per hour is not going to end well." Jack complains, cleaning off his glasses from the cloud of dirt they were just in.

Dekka just nods sadly, and follows Jack into her houseboat.


	3. Mermaid

Mermaid

Somewhere between Hunger and Light

Quinn has never believed in mermaids. So when Rachel shows up for work one day sporting a pink and pale green tie-dyed shirt with the words "I'm really a mermaid" on it, he laughs. Rachel squints her light brown eyes at Quinn.

"What? You don't like the shirt?" She asks challengingly.

Quinn smiles competitively back at her, "I think it's funny that you think mermaids exist, because they don't."

Rachel's pink lips open wide in shock, revealing her perfect white teeth before countering, "And you, _brah_, know everything, don't you?"

"Everything about water and sea creatures", Quinn responds matter-of-factly, as the two start heading for the boat they're going to be fishing with today. Also in their crew for today are Jamie, a nice, practical girl Quinn is sure will be on his side in this mermaid argument, and Seth, who is very hardworking, but also very interested in Rachel and the amount cleavage her mermaid shirt shows. Quinn knows Seth's a lost cause.

"Obviously mermaids are real," Seth interjects, "I mean, Rachel is one. She must know."

Rachel's dazzling smile inspires Seth to add, "And sparkles is a color."

"I taught you well," Rachel laughs.

Jamie shakes her head confused, as she lifts her oar out of the water. "This is ridiculous! Mermaids don't exist. Plus, Rachel, I see your legs."

"Jamie," Rachel starts, putting her hand on Jamie's thigh, which consequently causes Rachel to loose control of her oar. She curses under her breath, and regrabs the oar with both hands before starting to speak again.

"Jamie, I'm in my human form. Every mermaid needs a human form, or else how would be have babies?"

"A sea-section?" Quinn supplies. He, at least, is strong enough to keep control of his oar with one hand, as the other is busy high-fiving Seth.

"So how exactly are merbabies made?" Seth asks Rachel lasciviously.

Rachel doesn't take the bait. "The same as human babies, but they are born with a tail."

"So if you really are a mermaid," Quinn asks, seeing Seth opening his mouth to probably ask another uncomfortable question, "Can you tell me what color your tail is?"

"Seafoam. And sparkles, of course."

"And your seashells?" Seth, obviously.

"Pink, almost the same shade as my shirt."

Surprisingly, Quinn has no trouble picturing Rachel as a mermaid, laughing around underwater, doing tricks, her blonde hair flying in the slow-motion effect water has, her pink and seafoam and sparkles enchanting all the fish swimming after her.

_Why can't mermaids exist? _He asks himself, _Surely much weirder has happened in the FAYZ._

"We'll be sure to watch out and make sure we never fish for you, then" Quinn tells her.


	4. Wonderwall

Wonderwall

Post-Light

In the months following the FAYZ, Sam had been asked a lot of questions. One of the most common, and the one he dreaded the most, was when a reporter, or interviewer, or even a family member, asked what had been the hardest point of the FAYZ. He had told a different lie every time: starvation, leadership stress, evil twins, whip hands, water shortages, fires, bugs... the list was endless. But false.

In reality, through all of those problems, though each was terrifyingly horrible, he had been able to deal- he had to, for everyone else was facing that exact same problem. Sam had to set an example, or find a solution, because if he didn't people would die, or starve, or kill, or suffer.

But Sam's heartbreak? That was different. Those four months away from Astrid were four months too long. While every other person looked back at their time at Lake Tramonto as a time of peace, happiness, Nutella, and Friday Fun Fests, all Sam saw was sadness, loneliness, and agony. The lake waters too calm; the Pepsi too bubbly; the children too loud.

_How did I manage to stay afloat?_ Sam wonders every time he is reminded of his "Era of Agony". _Why didn't I sink into a deep, Mary-like depression?_ He has no idea.

After about his 19th time answering the dreaded question (the lie he chose today was zekes), during Sam's sulking session he remembers the wall that kept him from sinking. And so he calls her.

Dekka's father picks up the phone after the third ring.

"What do you want?" He demands in the gruff voice that, even though Dekka would hate Sam for connecting her to her father in any way, reminds Sam instantly of her. Sam introduces himself and asks Mr. Talent to pass the phone along to his daughter. He prepares himself for the worst; though it was months ago, Dekka is still (rightly so) distraught over Brianna's death, and her parents' unacceptance of Dekka couldn't have been helping her grieving process.

"Dekka! There's a boy calling for you!" Sam hears Dekka's father scream into the house for her.

"Because God forbid it would be a girl" Dekka grumbles into the phone, and Sam can practically hear Dekka rolling her eyes, "So what's up? Find some kind of life-threatening trouble to get us into? Another lake to check out? You pick out a houseboat for us to get married on?"

Sam laughed. He had forgotten about Dekka's other power, of being able to kill his bad moods faster than Brianna could kill coyotes. "Only if Diana can be the flower girl."

"That's a shame, because I know Quinn was really interested in that position."

"Nah. I think he'd be better as a DJ."

The two of them talk on for hours, about nothing of real importance, just joking and laughing, lifting each other's spirits up the only way they can, and stopping only when Astrid calls Sam in for dinner. Sam hangs up with a smile on his face, knowing that he's helping one of his best friends through her own "Era of Agony". Dekka had been Sam's wonderwall, and now he is gladly returning the favor.


	5. Belle

Belle

Pre-Gone

Astrid, standing in front of a long mirror in the school bathroom, readjusts her outfit, feeling very unlike herself. Today after school her cousin Rachel and her parents are coming in from New York City to see Astrid's family. Astrid's mother, the ever-caring hostess she is, had made Astrid wear the clothes Rachel's family had sent her for her birthday. Instead of one of Astrid's usual starch white blouses and modest pants, she is clad in a short, blue shirt with a white tribal pattern on it, and white high-waisted shorts, the manufactures of which obviously thinking that the extra fabric at the top of the shorts means the hemline should be shorter than usual. Astrid is just glad the shorts cover her midriff, which would be bare due to the shortness of the shirt, which also had pieces of the back missing. Astrid was, to say the least, very uncomfortable.

The bell rings, making Astrid sigh. She would have to leave the safety of the bathroom now, and enter the world of other people- girls who would judge her, boys who would superficially "love" her, and teachers who probably wouldn't even recognize her. She takes a deep breath, and opens the bathroom door, sealing her fate.

The only two people in the hallway Astrid walks into are a couple of brain-dead surfing boys, jokingly pushing each other, and using the words "dude" and "brah" every couple of seconds. The one with the lighter hair (Seth? Sam? Steve? Something like that) stops when he sees her, mouth wide open, obviously starstruck by Astrid's "beauty". Astrid rolls her eyes and walks by, ignoring his friend's whistle.

Astrid passes Mary Terrafino, a nice girl in a couple of her classes, with her brother, John. But Mary glares enviously at the couple of centimeters of Astrid's flat stomach showing, and Astrid can hear whispers of the word "slut" as she bypasses the siblings.

The next hallway she turns to is no better. The boy Astrid secretly tutors, Orc, and his infuriating sidekick Howard are terrorizing some kid. They stop (a rare sight) when Astrid walks by, and she can hear a voice yell at her, "Hello Beautiful". Astrid ignores them and continues walking.

"Hey, Belle", a bubbly, friendly girl named Bette says, bouncing up to Astrid.

"What?" She asks, confused, for one of the few times in her life.

"You know, Belle, like from Beauty and the Beast? She's smart and wears a blue and white dress like your outfit and… never mind", Bette trails off at Astrid's still befuddled expression.

Astrid laughs and says, "Thank you, I guess," as the two girls walk into Astrid's first period classroom, Astrid preparing herself for more people to be talking about her, calling her peculiar, odd, and funny. Nevertheless, she puts on her beautiful smile, and sits down in her assigned seat next to the new kid Edilio, thankful that he at least has the manners not to stare at the immense amount of her skin showing.


End file.
